Best Summer Festival Acts Of 2015

12 Music Acts We Can't Wait To See On the Summer Festival Circuit

The days are warmer, the nights are longer, and music festival season is officially here! From Osheaga in Montreal and AfroPunk in Brooklyn to Glastonbury Festival in England, there’s a bill fit for every musical taste and location. Before you take out the chancletas and glow sticks, we’ve rounded up 12 must-see acts to catch on the 2015 festival circuit.

Drake

Drake released his surprise mixtape, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, earlier this year and has since taken it to stages around the world. The superstar rapper is not just appearing, but headlining, a slew of dates including Governors Ball in NYC and Coachella (which just passed). It’s one thing to headline a festival and it’s another to create your own. Champagne Papi is slated to bring the hometown pride in Toronto at his sixth annual October’s Very Own (OVO Fest) in Toronto.

Kendrick Lamar

The biggest rapper out there is Kendrick Lamar so it’s no wonder he’s literally everywhere this festival season. The rapper’s latest album, To Pimp a Butterfly, is primed for being experienced live so expect him to perform standouts like “King Kunta” as well as his previous hits like “Swimming Pools.” From Bonnaroo in Tennessee to Summerfest in Wisconsin, good luck not seeing Kendrick Lamar in concert this summer.

Alabama Shakes

Got that summertime sadness? Alabama Shakes can cure what ails you. The breakout rock and blues band, fronted by the incredibly gifted, kick-ass vocalist Brittany Howard, has been getting critical love with 2012’s Boys & Girls and its more recent Sound & Color. Catch the Shakes at Bonnaroo or Osheaga.

Run the Jewels

Run the Jewels fast. Run the Jewels fast. The duo of rapper Killer Mike and rapper/producer El-P may have started as a Cartoon Network intro but have quickly become one of hip-hop’s most important groups. They’ve released two albums, Run the Jewels and Run the Jewels 2, and became outspoken on sociopolitical issues and racial injustices. See them at the Firefly Music Festival in Delaware and at Osheaga.

Skrillex

Between mega concerts like Electric Daisy Carnival in New York City and TomorrowWorld in Atlanta, EDM dominates festivals. Although Skrillex will be playing shows like the Mad Decent Block party, we recommend catching one of the biggest EDM artists at the rural Electric Forest Festival in Rothbury, Michigan. The superstar will turn up and light up the forest – literally. Be sure to grab your hammock for this dazzling sound and light show.

Linkin Park

Relive your rebellious high school days by enjoying Linkin Part this summer. Over a decade after their debut album, Hybrid Theory, Chester, Mike and the boys are still releasing hits, including the recent "Darker Than Blood" with Steve Aoki. Linkin Park will be at Loudwire with rock and metal bands like Weezer and Rob Zombie and if you want even more nostalgia, check out them alongside all your favorite teen angst bands at the aptly titled Amnesia Rockfest in Quebec. Where else will you see the Offspring, Rancid, System of a Down and Tenacious D in 2015?

iLoveMakonnen

Whether it’s Tuesday or not, you know you want to see iLoveMakonnen. The Atlanta singer woozily flipped the lamest workday into the hottest day of the week with “Tuesday” (featuring Drake). Still high off that record, the newbie is set to hit the stage at the Mad Decent Block Party and Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.

Florence and the Machine

Florence and the Machine are no strangers to playing big stages – from the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards to the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Concert – and you can expect an excellent show from the English indie rock band. Earlier this year, Florence and the band released their third album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, so expect them to perform tracks from it like “Ship to Wreck” and “Delilah” at Lollapalooza in Chicago and Governors Ball.

Paul McCartney

How often can you see a musical legend like Paul McCartney in concert? The Beatles singer will be performing at Firefly as well as Lollapalooza and although we wouldn’t mind his recent collaborations like “Only One” and “FourFiveSeconds” with Kanye West and Rihanna, we’d much prefer that he dig into his catalogue of classics like “Coming Up” and “Live and Let Die.”

FKA twigs

Who doesn’t love a gorgeous girl who can sing? FKA twigs has been turning heads (including her fiancé, actor Robert Pattinson) in her native UK and beyond with her unique take on R&B. The trained dancer – she gets her stage name from the way her joint would crack while dancing –released her debut album, LP1, in 2014 with standouts like “Two Weeks” and “Pendulum.” See the ethereal beauty at Osheaga and Lollapalooza.

The Black Keys

The Black Keys are headlining Osheaga as well as the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco. The festival veterans always put on a good show and we’re especially looking forward to seeing them at Osheaga, where art and music collide in strange and cool ways. In the past, there’s even been an igloo made of speaker boxes. Rock on.

Flying Lotus

Festivals are always full of DJs but we’re especially excited to see Flying Lotus. The producer/DJ/artist has collaborated with anyone from Kendrick Lamar and Thundercat to Snoop Dogg. This is your favorite artist’s favorite producer. From 2012's Until the Quiet Comes tohis recent release, You’re Dead! Fly Lo has no shortage of tunes to keep you moving all summer long at Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.